Riding on Ashwin’s all-round show and Rohit Sharma's classic 161, Team India defeated England in the second Test by 317 runs to level the series. The Third Test will be played at Motera and it will be a pink-ball Test.
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Toss: India opted to bat first
Detailed Match Report
Day 1
India lost Gill early but Rohit Sharma was in good touch. Hitman was playing with a strike rate of 100. In the final half an hour before lunch, India lost two quick wickets of Pujara and Kohli. Rohit Sharma completed his top-class hundred on a tricky surface and he got enough support from Rahane who scored a fine 67. Rohit Sharma got out on 161 and in the final hour of the day, England picked some wickets. India finished Day 1 on 300/6 with Pant and Axar Patel in middle.
Day 2
Day 2 belonged to bowlers. In the first session, India couldn’t add much to their score and bowled out on 329. Rishabh Pant remained not out on 58. Moeen Ali scalped four and Olly Stone bagged three.
England lost its first wicket on the third ball and it started the trend of wickets. Ashwin got his 29th Test fifer and England bowled on a mere total of 134 with conceding a lead of 195. India finished the second day by losing Gill’s wicket.
Day 3
England dominated the first session of Day 3 and India lost regular wickets. India were struggling at 106/6 when Ashwin joined Kohli for a record century stand. Kohli scored 62 before getting LBW out to Moeen. Ashwin continued his top batting and added vital runs with the tail. For the final wicket, Ashwin and Siraj added 49 runs. Ashwin scored his 5th Test hundred and did the double of hundred and 5-for for the third time in Test cricket. Only England’s legendary player Botham has done it more (5 times). India set the target of huge 482 runs for England.
England’s start was so poor in 4th innings and they lost both openers at 49. Root sent Leach as the night watchman and Axar Patel grabbed him on the first ball. England finished day 3 with 54/3.
Day 4
Ashwin picked Lawrence with a fine stumping of Pant. He also bagged Stokes on 8 and England struggled against the spin duo of Ashwin and Axar Patel. They lost regular wickets and ended the first session with 7 wickets. Axar Patel completed his five-wicket haul in the second session and England bowled out on 164, after the late entertainment from Moeen Ali.
Series is now leveled with 1-1 and India has also strengthened its position in World Test Championship.
Star Performer of the Match
Ravi Ashwin is our star performer of the match. The home guy picked his 29th Test fifer and also scored a hundred in the 2nd innings. In the final innings, he also bagged three wickets to end the Test with a figure of 96/8.
5 impactful players of the match
R Ashwin 43/5 & 53/3, 13 & 106
Rohit Sharma 161 & 26
Moeen Ali 128/4 & 98/4, 6 & 43
Axar Patel 40/2 & 60/5
Jack Leach 78/2 & 100/4
